Rotary punching device



Oct. 5, 1965 'r. c. M CARTAN ROTARY PUNCHING DEVICE Filed Dec. 22 1961 2Sheets-Sheet 1 /N VE N TOR THOMAS C. McCARTAN FIG.

AGENT Oct. 5, 1965 T. c. M CARTAN ROTARY PUNCHING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed Dec. 22, 1961 FIG.

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United States Patent 3,209,630 ROTARY PUNCHING DEVICE Thomas C.McCartan, Montrose, Pa., assignor to International Business MachinesCorporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 22,1961, Ser. No. 161,740 5 Claims. (Cl. 83-100) This invention relates toa rotary punching device and more particularly to a rotary punchingdevice having insertable punch elements and which is especially adaptedfor high speed operation.

In the manufacture of merchandise tags, shipping tags, special tickets,and the like, which have to be provided with a string hole, at least atone end, it is particularly desirable to have not only a simple andaccurate performing device but also a performing device which is capableof extremely high speed operation since each individual order for suchtags generally requires that several million tags be perforated. Inaddition, since there are demands for such a large variety in size andformat of individual tags or tickets and the holes that are to beperforated therein, it is extremely advantageous to provide a high speedpunching device having individual punch elements which can be easilyinserted and removed to selectively provide the desired punching format.For example, an order may call for the tag to be of conventional recordcard size, which is generally 3%. by 7%, and it may call for one, two ormore special holes positioned on the tag and each hole may vary indiameter, for example, from to /2. Of course, configurations other thancircular holes may be called for or it may be desired to place a specialnotch in one or more edges of the tag. At any rate, a substantialproblem exists when multitdues of orders are received for special tagswith each order requiring the printing and perforating of severalmillion tags and, in addition, with each order requiring a differentformat and size of special perforations.

Heretofore, such tags have been printed and perforated on conventionalflat-bed machines but due to the inherent slowness of the fiat-bedmachine the 'tags could be perforated at a rate of only around 200 perminute. Conventional rotary type punch and die devices have also beenused in order to increase punching speed but these proved unsatisfactorydue to the requirement for extreme precision in the gearing, etc., inorder to obtain the required punching accuracy and also the need forsubsubstantial set-up time when changing jobs to run different orders.

To overcome the above problems and satisfactorily meet the increasedoutput that present day business demands, the present invention providesan improved and vastly superior rotary gang punching device which is notonly adapted for extremely high speed operation but which also employsan arrangement of insertable punching elements which may be easily andquickly interchanged to produce the required different punching formats.The preferred form of the rotary gang punching device comprises a solidsteel die or bed roll and a cooperating hollow steel punch roll. A slotor recess extends axially along a portion of the periphery of the punchroll which is adapted to receive a row of individual punch supportblocks and the punch blocks are held by individual retaining platessuitably mounted in grooves which extend along each side of the recess.Each punch support block is adapted to removably support an individualpunch element or insert which coacts directly against the tag and thesurface of the steel bed roll to produce the perforations. The foregoingarrangement is extremely advantageous from the standpoint of flexibilityand ease of setup since each support block and punch insert assembly maybe interchanged or the support blocks may be left alone and only thepunch inserts changed.

The arrangement of having the punch inserts coact directly against thetag and solid steel bed roll Without the use of mating die holes in thebed roll eliminates the need for any undue or extreme precision in thedrive gearing and allows the gang punch to operate with an extremelyhigh rate of speed. In fact, the present device has successfullyproduced accurate perforations in tags or record cards feeding at a rateof 1350 to 1400 cards per minute. This is seven times faster than theheretofore normal punching rate and represents a substantial advance inthe punching art.

Another feature of the present invention is the provision of an improvedvacuum arrangement for removing the punched out chips during the highrate of speed of operation. Each of the individual punch elements orinserts is hollow and communicates with a port in the bottom of thepunch support block and a port in the recessed portion of the punchroll. The ports in the recessed portion of the punch roll in turncommunicates with a large port in a hollow shaft which supports thepunch roll. The hollow support shaft is suitably connected to a sourceof vacuum such that the punched out chips are sucked back through theindividual punch inserts and punch roll and into the hollow supportshaft to be discarded. The hollow portion of each punch insert istapered to facilitate the passage of the chips therethrough. 1

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invenis to provide animproved high speed rotary gang punching device.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved highspeed rotary gang punching device which requires no undue precision indrive gearing and which therefore is capable of extremely high speeds ofoperation.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a rotarygang punching device having insertable punches and including a vacuumarrangement for discharging punched out chips back through theinsertable punches.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a rotarygang punching device having insertable punches for punching against asolid bed roll and including means for prevent-ing the punches fromdigging into the bed roll during punching.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of theinvention will be apparent from the following more particulardescription of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustratedin the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the punching cylinder of thepresent invention with one of the punching inserts assembled in place.

FIG. '2 is an elevation view showing the punching cylinder with punchinserts and the cooperating solid bed roll.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the punching cylinder with its end platepartially broken away.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of a punch insert and holding blockassembly for punching a hole.

FIG. 5 is an end elevation view of the punch insert and holding blockassembly shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of another type punch insert for punchingrectangular holes.

Referring now in particular to FIG. 2, the rotary gang punching deviceis shown in general as comprising a punch roll or cylinder 10 having aseries of insertable punch unit assemblies 11 and associated retainerplates 12 disposed along the surface of the cylinder. The punch unitassemblies 11 coact with the surface of a solid steel die or bed roll13. The device is particularly adapted for high speed punching of tagsor record cards and the like and it may be easily adapted to existinghigh speed machines which are currently in use in connection with themanufacture of such cards or tags. For example, the present device hasbeen added as a punching station to the tabulating card printing machineof the type shown and described in US. Patent 2,181,935, which issued onDecember 5, 1939. Reference may be had to said patent for the details ofoperation of the printing machine and it will suffice to say here thatthe present device is preferably attached to the machine just ahead ofthe print station and the punch roll shaft 14 and bed roll shaft 15 maybe driven by suitable gearing from any of the continuously running feedrolls on the printing machine.

Referring now in particular to FIGURES l and 3, the hollow punchcylinder 10 is mounted on the hollow shaft 14 and pinned to a pair ofend plates or discs 16 and 17 which are press-fitted fast on the shaft.Disposed axially along the surface of the cylinder is a rectangulargroove or channel 18 and extending along adjacent to the sides of thischannel are the V-shaped grooves 19 and 20. The individual punch unitassemblies 11 are slideably positioned along the channel 18 and each oneis held in place by an associated pair of the insertable retainer plates12 which are screw fastened to the base of the grooves 19 and 20. Theslideable arrangement of the individual punch unit assemblies and theretaining plates in their respective channels greatly facilitates theease with which they may be removed or interchanged.

Cut in the base of the channel 18 are a series of elongated ports 21which communicate with a common port 22 in the hollow shaft 14. Each oneof the ports 21 communicates with the hollow interior of the punch unitassembly 11 positioned thereover and one end of the hollow shaft 14 isleft open and is positioned adjacent to or is suitably connected with asource of vacuum, such as vacuum pump 23. As will be further described,this arrangement allows for the vacuum removal of the punched out chipsback through the punch unit assemblies 11, the punch cylinder 10 and thehollow shaft 14.

Referring to FIGURES 4 and 5, the insertable punch unit assemblies 11each comprise a base block 24 for supporting a cutting or punchingelement 25 which has a configuration corresponding to the type ofperforation desired. The punching element shown in FIGURES 4 and has aconfiguration for punching a circular hole and the cutting edge is madeboth concave and convex for proper cutting action against the solid bedroll 13. A pair of parallel edges of the base block is provided with abevelled surface 26 which the insertable retainer plates 12 bear againstto anchor the punch unit assemblies 11 in place along channel 18. Thepunch element 25 has a flanged base portion 27 which is heldfast inposition on the base block 24 by means of a holder block 28 and the setscrews 29. The holder block 28 is provided with a thru-hole 30 so thatit may be inserted over the positioned punch element and the undersideof the holder block is slotted across to provide a pair of shoulders 31which extend alongside the flanged base portion 27 of the punchingelement to firmly lock the element in position.

A feature of the present invention is the ease and flexibility withwhich the punching format of the device may be changed with a minimum ofset-up time required. As was previously pointed out, by simply looseningthe retainer plates 12, the individual punch unit assemblies may beinterchanged or replaced in channel 18. Or, if desired, the assembliesmay be left secure in the channel and only the holder blocks 28 removedand new punch elements inserted. If it is desired not to use all of thepossible punching positions along channel 18, selected punch unitassemblies may be simply removed and, although it is not necessary,blank plates may be inserted in place of the removed units to seal thevacuum ports 21 not being used. Punching elements which fit in the unitassemblies may be stocked to cover a wide range of punchingconfigurations. In FIGURE 6, there is shown a different insertable punchelement 32 having a cutting edge configuration 33 for punching arectangular hole. This particular element would not require a holderblock 28 but would be screw fastened directly to the base member 24.Also a feature of the invention resides in the fact that the punchelements operate directly against the solid die or bed roll whicheliminates the need for undue precision in the drive gearing and allowsthe present device to be easily adapted to a high speed machine of thetype shown in the previously mentioned US. Patent 2,181,935, wherebyunusually high punching speeds of up to 1400 record cards per minute areattained. In this connection, it should be pointed out that the endplates 16 and 17 fastened at the ends of the punch cylinder play animportant part. These end plates are intended to rotate against thesurface of the die or bed roll, as shown in FIG. 2, and the peripheralsurface of each plate extends out radially from the punch shaft 14 thesame distance as the cutting edges of the inserted punch elements. As aresult, the end plates function to protect the punch elements and toprevent the cutting edges from digging into the surface of the bed rollduring punching. In addition, they tend to balance the forces actingagainst the punch cylinder during high speed operation to smooth out thepunching action. They also afford a means for determining when the punchand die cylinders have been adjusted relative to each other into thecorrect punching position.

Each of the punching elements has a thru-hole or passageway, asindicated at 34 on FIG. 6, which has the same configuration as thecutting edges of the element and which communicates with a thru-hole orpassageway 35 in its base block 24. The passageways in the base blocksare in registry with the ports 21 in channel 18 and hence the punchedchips are under the influence of the vacuum pump 23. The inside walls ofeach punch element are tapered slightly, the passageway which the wallsform having a narrower cross-section at the top which is the same as thecross-section of the chip to be punched out, to allow for better removalof the chips by the vacuum. The passageway in each punching element willhold from 3 to 4 chips after which the next chip punched willmechanically cause the bottom chip to eject down into the underlyingport 21 where it may be easily carried away by the vacuum in the hollowshaft 14.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may bemade therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. A high speed rotary punching device of the class described comprisingin combination, a rotatable punching roller, means on said roller forslideably supporting along the longitudinal axis thereof a plurality ofinsertable base members, said base members being individually slideableto selected positions along said axis, means for selectively securingand removing alone individual base members positioned along said axis,holding means associated with each base member for securing thereto andremoving therefrom a selected insertable punching element with said basemembers secured to said punching roller, and a rotatable solid bedroller against which said punching elements rotate to carry out aselective punching operation.

2. A high speed rotary punching device as defined in claim 1 andincluding a rotatable hollow shaft for sup porting said punching roller,ports in said punching roller communicating with the hollow portion ofsaid shaft, thru-passageways in said base members and punching elementscommunicating with said ports in the punching roller, and vacuum chipremoval means communicating with the hollow portion of said shaft.

3. A high speed rotary gang punching device of the class describedcomprising in combination, a rotatable punching roller, a channeldisposed axially along the surface of said roller, a plurality ofinsertable base members each of which is adapted to be slid into saidchannel for selective positioning along said channel, a plurality ofretainer members disposed along opposite sides of said channel and inoverlapping relationship with portions of said base members, means forsecuring said retainer members to the punching roller to lock said basemembers against movement in said channel, each of said retainer membersbeing removable individually to allow the removal alone of a selectedbase member from the punching roller while the other base members remainlocked, a plurality of insertable punching elements, a holder memberassociated with each base member for securing an inserted punchingelement to the base member or removing an inserted punching elementtherefrom while said base members are locked in said channel, and a 1'0-tatable solid bed roller against which said punching elements rotate tocarry out a gang punching operation.

4. A high speed rotary gang punching device of the class describedcomprising in combination, a rotatable punching roller, a channeldisposed axially along the surface of said roller, a plurality ofinsertable base members each of which is adapted to be slid into saidchannel for selective positioning along said channel, each said basemember having a pair of parallel bevelled shoulders projectingtherefrom, a pair of grooves on said punching roller which extendparallel and adjacent to the sides of said channel, a plurality ofretainer members disposed in said grooves and in overlappingrelationship with the shoulders on said base members, detachablefastening means for securing said retainer members to the punchingroller to lock said base members against movement in said channel, eachof said retainer members being removable individually to allow theremoval alone of a selected base member from the punching roller whilethe other base members remain locked, a plurality of insertable punchingelements, a holder member detachably fastened with each base member forsecuring an inserted punching element to the base member or removing aninserted punching element therefrom while said base members are lockedin said channel, and a rotatable solid bed roller against which saidpunching elements rotate to carry out a gang punching operation.

5. A high speed rotary gang punching device of the class describedcomprising in combination, a rotatable punching roller, a channeldisposed axially along the surface of said roller, a plurality ofinsertable base members each of which is adapted to be slid into saidchannel for selective positioning along said channel, a plurality ofretainer members disposed along opposite sides of said channel and inoverlapping relationship with portions of said base members, means forsecuring said retainer members to the punching roller to lock said basemembers against movement in said channel, each of said retainer membersbeing removable individually to allow the removal alone of a selectedbase member from the punching roller while the other base members remainlocked a plurality of insertable punching elements, detachable fasteningmeans for securing selected inserted punching elements to said basemembers or removing selected inserted punching elements therefrom whilesaid base members are locked in said channel, and a rotatable solid bedroller against which said punching elements rotate to carry out a gangpunching operation.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 762,321 6/04Keyes 83-337 826,130 6/06 Vold 83-700 1,577,620 3/26 Gammeter 83-3461,649,635 11/27 Willard 83-670 2,760,576 3/54 Spencer 83-100 2,963,93212/60 Glueck 83-669 FOREIGN PATENTS 405,318 2/34 Great Britain.

ANDREW R. .TUHASZ, Primary Examiner.

HUNTER C. BOURNE, IR., Examiner.

1. A HIGH SPEED ROTARY PUNCHING DEVICE OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED COMPRISINGIN COMBINATION, A ROTATABLE PUNCHING ROLLER, MEANS ON SAID ROLLER FORSLIDEABLY SUPPORTING ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS THEREOF A PLURALITY OFINSERTABLE BASE MEMBERS, SAID BASE MEMBERS BEING INDIVIDUALLY SLIDEABLETO SELECTED POSITIONS ALONG SAID AXIS, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY SECURINGAND REMOVING ALONE INDIVIDUAL BASE MEMBERS POSITIONED ALONG SAID AXIS,HOLDING MEANS AS-